1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an entertainment system including a video game machine for displaying an image of game characters, etc. on a display monitor to proceed with a video game in response to control input commands manually entered by the game player via a manual control input device, a supply medium for supplying a program and data to such an entertainment system, and a manual control input device for use with such an entertainment system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional video game apparatus for displaying game characters, etc. created by computer graphics (CG) on a display monitor such as a television receiver or the like to proceed with a video game each have at least one manual control input device peculiar to the video game apparatus. For example, if one user or game player plays a role-playing game, the game player moves, presses, or rotates a plurality of control members on a manual control input device with hands or fingers to move a game character or an object displayed on the screen of a monitor display.
Recent years have seen a number of game programs developed for entertainment systems including those video game apparatus. Those game programs include many role-playing game programs, combat game programs, car race game programs, sports game programs, etc.
Those game programs are supplied to video game entertainment systems from randomly accessible recording mediums such as CD-ROMs, memory cards, etc. or networks.
Heretofore, the manual control input devices that are used by the game player to enter control input commands as dictated by game programs have been designed such that the control members are simply pushed, tilted, or turned by the game player, and do not cause visual sensations for the game player.
For example, the control members of the conventional manual control input devices do not flicker for a few seconds after the video game apparatus are turned on, or the conventional manual control input devices themselves do not emit continuous or flickering light in timed relationship to continuous or flickering light emission of a game character or object displayed on the display monitor while the video game is in progress.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system which includes a manual control input device having control members that can emit continuous or flickering light to give visual sensations to the game player.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a supply medium for supplying a program and data for controlling a manual control input device to cause control members thereof to emit continuous or flickering light to give visual sensations to the game player.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a manual control input device having control members that can emit continuous or flickering light to give visual sensations to the game player.
According to the present invention, an entertainment system includes a memory medium for storing a program for enabling a plurality of control members of a manual control input device to emit light, and a processing means for executing the program stored in the memory medium based on control commands entered by the manual control input device.
After the manual control input device is connected and a video game machine is turned on, the control members are enabled to emit continuous or flickering light for a predetermined period of time, or in timed relationship to continuous or flickering light emission of a game character or object displayed on a display monitor while a video game is in progress.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a supply medium for supplying a light emission program and data for a manual control input device for use in a video game performed by a video game machine by displaying a game character or object on a display monitor in response to control commands entered by a manual control input device, the light emission program comprising a program for enabling the control members to emit light either randomly or according to a predetermined pattern as the video game proceeds.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a manual control input device for supplying control commands to a video game machine in response to manual control inputs, comprising control means for enabling a plurality of control members to emit light.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example.